The List: 24 Aug 2000 (Issue 395)

Having been out of the alternative music spotlight for some time, Everybody Loves Urusei Yatsura sees Glasgow’s favourite leftfield noiseniks return with a spanking record of garagey tunefulness. The sound ranges from the rough and ready rocktastic likes of ’Our Shining Path’ to the endearing ’Uji Bomb’, which starts all sweetness and light and ends up atonal and shouty, and there's a strong melodic thread running throughout.

The Urusei Yatsura influences are fairly clear (a whiff of Pixies guitars, a sniff of Pavement lyrics) but they always manage to stamp enough of their own personality on proceedings, and the result is a bollocking good indie record. (Doug Johnstone)

Alex Lloyd Black The Sun (EMI Chrysalis) at it

Things get off to an awesome start on this interesting but under-conceived album — ’Melting’ and ’Mono’ carry with them the petrol — like whiff of Beck and Jeff Buckley, while 'My Way Home’ could be one of the quieter moments from the first Faithless album. Then things begin to take a strange turn as Lloyd tries to find an individual voice for himself on songs like ’Faraway’, ’Aliens' and ’Gender’ — these tunes fall somewhere between soft cock rock and clever Country (:3 la Lambchop). Nevertheless, this is a strong enough album to leave you wanting more from this intelligent and witty troubadour. (Paul Dale)

ELECTRONIC Shirley Bassey

Diamonds Are Forever — The Remix Album (EMI) at M: r:

lf modern music makers didn’t have source material like Shirley Bassey's majestic vocals to work with would they be worth listening to? That’s the

question prompted by this compilation.

Here, as on the original recordings, the Welsh diva cuts through every track with that instantly recognisable voluptuous voice that makes you just wanna strip yourself naked and dance round a pole. No? Try listening to Wild Oscar’s mix of ’Big Spenda'. Then there's Nightmares On Wax’s ’Light My Fire’ remix: enough to rouse Jim Morrison himself. What Propellerheads

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(’Goldfinger’), Mantronik (the title track) et al do is to revitalise these towering songs with electronic excesses. (Miles Fielder)

Two Lone Swordsmen Tiny Reminders (Warp) * it at 3* Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood have never travelled the easy path. They continue, despite Weatherall’s fluctuating celebrity and opportunity to pump out ’big toons’, to burrow into the very fabric of electronic music with their ever- mutating electro-techno adventures. If they have a defir ble style, it's an odd sense of obtuse . addictive beats topped with hi buzzes, farts, squelches, mut‘ ‘ bumps and warped moogisms which are odd but incredibly listenable. This is skilfully understated work which rewards hugely on repeated listening. Deep stuff.

(Mark Robertson)

Rampling 8: Morales UK*USA (Read) it *9: at

You know you’re going to get your money’s worth out of this bumper collaboration between the UK’s Danny Rampling and his US counterpart and long-time buddy, David Morales. Laying over 150 minutes of banging commercial house on your asses, Rampling shows up with his carnival- esque party sets, overlaid at various points with a capellas from world renowned vocalists. Not to be outshone, Morales turns in a mix that exemplifies his musical pedigree with sure-fire highlights including the superior Dronz vocal mix of Madison Avenue’s 'Don't Call Me Baby’ and Johnny Corporate’s massive ’Sunday Shoutin’. (Catherine Bromley)

FUNK Various Artists

New Testament Of Funk: Vol. 3 (Acid Jazz) is: *1:

Acid Jazz would be well placed to change the name of the label at this stage. No amount of touting this new material as cutting-edge funky house breaks will wash away the memory of bands like The Brand New Heavies. That said, this is a solid compilation that includes some dirty double bass and crashing drums on Naomi’s ’You Feel So Special’, and some moog-tastic funk on the four to the floor ’Greven Love’, that greases your funk muscles well into action. There’s also some boss percussion on Common Ground’s ’Get Yourself Together’ and a funky comedy treat in Gent International’s ‘Bitch Sell Crack’. Just stay away from them Kangol hats, right. (Catherine Bromley)

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I Modesty personified in Urusei Yatsura

We bring you the full line-up, running order and times of every act at

GLASGOW

Glasgow Green, Scotland’s festival in the city. All information is correct at time of going to press.